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  Flying Lotus Interview
interview 0572 added 10.07.08 words:
Kane
technical:
Spoon
June saw the release of Flying Lotus’s newest LP, LA. An atmospheric epoch for contemporary Californian music, LA explores emotional and musical depths that defy the producers 23 years; from the dark adrenalin fuelled frenzy of Riot and GNG BNG, to the outer-worldly Golden Diva and the clandestine beauty of Auntie’s Lock/Infinitum. Or as the man himself puts it: “It’s all about base-beat music anyway, and then the presentation and the connection with people.”
To use film speak LA is quite simply unmissable.
I rarely check my myspace account as most of the stuff I get sent through there is links to wack 15 year old rappers pages. But about a year ago I received a link to Flying Lotus’s page, I noticed the imaginative graphics only after the aural assault that was the Reset EP. Suitably impressed I managed to get some interview time with him recently, I initially caught up Flying Lotus (real name Steven Ellison) at the Deck hotel in Brixton and later on the phone while he was staying at his friend (dubstep producer) Kode 9’s house in South London.
In person he is huge, a big friendly giant if you will. Much like his compositions Steven Ellison is full of contradictions and funny quirks – he is well versed in literature, music, film, has a fierce passion for politics and punctuates every sentence with at least one expletive. As well as having a tendency to go off on spacey tangents. He also enjoys playing computer games, chatting up girls and it’s probably fair to say, the occasional jazz cigarette. Mostly standard stuff except for the unconscious eccentricity that often separates geniuses from the rest of us
Whereas Scarface may be the film de rigueur for many American Hip hop producers Flying Lotus, or Fly Lo as his fans affectionately know him, has a far more sophisticated and intimate understanding of the visual aspect of instrumental music. And it is no surprise to find out he is a former film student: “I’m still a film student man, always learning.”
What film made you want to make films?
It’s so hard to say. I always wanted to make a movie but it was Fight Club that made me think fuck it I’m going to do this shit!
Were there any particular films that inspired or influenced you during the making of LA?
Blade Runner. Straight off…Sometimes LA feels like that to me so it’s something I tried to capture on record, that apocalyptic feel…Dune. That’s funny you say that. David Lynch hates that movie.
That was a weird film…
Yeah but it wasn’t weird enough. I’m sure David Lynch would have made it a lot weirder if it weren’t for the whole Hollywood studio system he would have flexed his muscles a lot more.
For me your music conjures up a lot of images. Is that a conscious thing for you?
Yeah man, especially when making a record. It’s one thing to do dance-floor orientated stuff but when it comes to making an album it’s supposed to be visual, especially if it’s an instrumental record – it should take you on a ride somewhere!
Go on this cerebral emotional ride…
How do you feel about comparisons to Prefuse 73 and J Dilla?
I think it’s a little unfair to be honest, flattering yes, but there’s a lot more to my music than people seem to associate me with. I also make plenty of up-tempo stuff that people don’t know about. And when people hear these beats I’m talking about…man it’s gonna’ fuck peoples heads up! Yo, you should come check out my place in LA and you’d hear for yourself!
Electronic, dubstep and hip hop are all genre labels that have been attached to your music: how would you describe your music?
Hmm, I would say its experimental funk, experimental psychedelic hip hop…erm
I don’t know. I can’t figure it out either. Experimental sex music, an alternative ‘Doggystyle’ if you will! Ha,ha…
So you’re signed to Warp, an English label, so what English acts do you check for?
A bunch of stuff man, too much to list. I’m not one of those cats who’s just into one type of music, we can go from Aphex (Twin) through to Radiohead, Portishead. I’ve got a lot of love for a heap of UK music.
Do you have any Anglo-American collaborations in mind?
Radiohead, I think most people say that, but it’s true I think we could find a cool area of sound they haven’t found yet. If the minds met in the middle it could be spectacular. And I’ve also been working on something long term with Burial.
Your live shows seem to go down very well over here, why do you think that is?
In a live sense I try and bring things together that wouldn’t necessarily be brought together, not in a cheesy sense but in a; ’hey man you can be a house fan and come to my show, you can be a tech kid and come to my show, a backpacker, it’s all relative and all love.’ It’s all about base-beat music anyway and then the presentation and the connection with people.
Sure. Do you think a lot of popular music is becoming more blurred in terms of genre?
Yeah, and I’m really glad to see it too. I think it’s down to people being bored man, I mean if I were to do something with a popular artist there would be a totally different vibe man, and they would come through on a totally different level with a new sort of inspiration. For example, look at Timbaland, he’s probably the weirdest guy in the pop realm, any artist sounds totally different when they’re fucking with Timbaland.
Yeah, it’s almost like he’s appropriated the pop world to fit in with his own sound..
The post Justin shit is totally different, but the pre-Justin stuff was dope and even post- it was like ‘this is what pop is now..’
What for you defines success?
For me personally it’s to be acknowledged by all the greats I looked up to. To have respect amongst the musician community I looked up to. I mean Portishead gave me a shout-out onstage recently, and I was like ‘shit you can kill me now!’.
You’re still pretty young, what plans do you have for the future?
Well I’ve started a digital label called Brainfeeder, and we’re due to release a Sam I Am record soon. He’s an interesting kid from Michigan with a very unique sound, and has some really cool beats.
This interview took place prior to Barack Obamas recent victory over Hillary Clinton to head up the Democratic Party. In typical fashion I have taken far too long to write up this interview which means some of the below will have lost it’s potency but I think it still makes for an interesting read.
I noticed ‘Obama 08’ is your myspace tagline. Do you think he can be president?
If I said no I’d be so lame. He’s going to win. The only thing I will say though is
that anything can happen still and it’s quite scary. And if something does go wrong, I’m gonna move to Australia or New Zealand or some shit. ‘Cos when the shit goes down, man it’s going to be bad over there.
Surely people are sick of the Republicans? Or maybe it’s just George Bush.
This is the thing that is really scary: a lot of the Hilary supporters will probably vote McCain, it all comes down to stupid things that don’t really matter. It’s pretty damn clear who stands for what, and who has certain values. People are hitting me up from all over the world ‘your boys gonna win right?’ Yes he’s gonna win. It can change the whole global situation, the whole world view of America can change, we can make strides towards building a better America if something like this were to happen. But history has showed us, well why repeat history…
He’s still got a pretty nice lead (over Hilary Clinton)… but there’s this bad press, totally unrelated shit (to do with his former minister beliefs) and it’s not a good look. And in the eyes of stupid people it’s a really bad look and unfortunately a lot of stupid people vote and not enough intelligent people do…
I’ve been so emotionally invested in this election, I’m trying to distance myself a little bit now, only because I see myself going fucking nuts and ape shit if he loses.
American politics seems so multifaceted and more interesting than our own, as well as having a bearing on the rest of the world.
I can see it here. The pound maybe stronger, but the culture thing, well…the UK is like America 2 – little America. I’m watching the BBC and they’re going on about America’s situation.
A world in America’s shadow – do you know about project 21st century? You should google it, it’s to do with Neo – Conservative plans for a world run like America basically.
I don’t need to Google it, I can see it! It’s sad man. And it’s all quite scary, all this Nostradamus stuff, all these weird prophecies about the end of the world…this year has really fed into that. It’s an influential year…These are the days that will shape the world – this year can really shape the next 80 years…I usually rock an Obama sticker on my live show and do some Obama stuff in my sets. I’m just trying to do my thing for the cause.
Have you met him?
No, I wish man. I’ve been giving him money though.
Really?
Yeah I’ve been giving him my cash and I’m about to donate some more money tonight because some shits going down by midnight apparently. I’m just doing what I can, I just wish more people got involved, people have opinions but they don’t even vote – I had loads of people around me who didn’t even vote. It was disappointing man, shocking even it’s no wonder Hilary won in California.
But that’s also partly down to her husbands influence in the area. You know what, if your husband’s had the job then that’s it – you shouldn’t be allowed to step forward. I think there should only be one president or prime minister per family.
Ha, ha. Then we wouldn’t have a second Bush.
Exactly!
It’s so sick that this guy can tell mother fuckers he’s way into this war, like ‘yeah man were gonna’ stick around a bit, we’re gonna’ hang out a little while’ and then mother fuckers are getting mad ‘cos there’s a black dude, no a half black dude going for it…
We’ve got to play our part man, I can’t just sit around talking to you about shit if I’m not going to do anything: keep my mouth shut pay a shit load of money for gas and be cool with it, watch people get blown up and be cool with that.
Flying Lotus’s LA LP is out on Warp now and is soon to be followed by a limited edition EP trilogy. Check out the Flying Lotus old-school arcade game at flying-lotus.com/destroy
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Kane
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